STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the colorful Supreme Court Justice, has committed to taking part in the Conversations with Exceptional Women held every year at Ketchum’s Community Library.
Ginsburg will appear at The Alturas Institute’s 2020 edition of Conversations with Exceptional Women on Sept. 10 and 11, 2020.
Attendees of the 2019 edition, which will be held Sept. 12 and 13, will be given the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2020 program featuring Ginsburg.
“Tickets will sell out so very quickly—faster than a New York minute,” said David Adler, who founded Conversations with Exceptional Women.
Of course, the women taking part in the 2019 event are no slouches.
This year’s speakers include eight-time Olympic medalist Allison Schmitt, who Adler said will talk about her bout with depression when she was at the pinnacle of her career.
Sportswriter Karen Crouse recently wrote “Norwich: One Tiny Vermont Town’s Secret to Happiness and Excellence,” which asks why a tiny town fielded so many Olympic athletes.
Mariel Hemingway, Ketchum’s native daughter, is not only an actress but a health and wellness advocate. She’ll be joined by Tara Buck, who started her acting career at Wood River High School before starring in such TV shows as “Party of Five,” the HBO series “True Blood” and Showtime’s “Ray Donovan.” She also has made guest appearances on “The X-Files,” “Bones,” “The Shield” and other shows.
She was nominated for an Ovation Award for her theater performance in “A Gift From Heaven.”
The lineup of speakers also includes Naomi McDougall Jones, an actress, writer and producer best known for her work on “Bite Me,” “Imagine I’m Beautiful” and “The New Yorker Presents.” She is writing a book “The Wrong Kind of Woman: Dismantling the God of Hollywood.”
It’s been a hundred years since Congress passed the 19th amendment guaranteeing the women the right to vote and the women will look at “How Far We’ve Come,” among other things
“It’s a chance to reflect on the hundredth anniversary of the 19th amendment and we will also explore women and mental health,” said Adler. “It’s a tremendous lineup. I’m very excited about it.”
The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days. Tickets are $125 and include coffee and muffins and lunch. Scholarships are available.
Students are free and can reserve a spot by contacting Adler at David.adler@alturasinstitute.com or 208-313-6554.